General Hunting Discussion
Youth hunt
Well I sure am glad this forum went back to being civil and I enjoyed the last few posts very much!! My daughter got hooked last year(at 10 years old) over a little basket 6 pointer that had us pinned at 40 yards broadside while I was getting her some hand warmers!! I was able to get the gun up and she was able to get it in thscope(( my heart was beating out of my chest and she had the shakes going on)) the little buck knew we were there but he didn't bolt out of there-- he just took a fast walk to the northeast!! We had 1 last opening for a shot and my girl was calm and ready to go!! That buck never made it to that last opening as he slowly vanished straight north instead of northeast out of sight and never to be seen again!! I will never forget them frantic 5 minutes but the important thing was my daughter was immediately hooked on hunting and no we didn't fire a single round!! Now she is consumed by it and she actually woke me up this morning-lol-one happy daddy!! Casey
I'm a big bowhunter and at one time did not like the youth hunt. Then I took my daughter out 2 years ago. She got a doe, the weather was nice (not freezing, with blowing snow) she is now addicted to deer hunting. She talks about it all year. My point is if the 1st time she went out would be opening day of the regular season she maybe so miserable and cold and not want to hunt again.
Good luck this weekend to those that are out. I don't need to worry about whether or not to take my son hunting this weekend. He turns 10 on Monday, just bad timing. But he's been shooting for a couple years and he'll be posted up with grandpa on opening day of gun season this year. I'd have him sit with me, but I was with my grandpa when I shot my first one with a gun. Plus, grandpa sees a few more deer in his spot.
We'll see if my 7 year old daughter wants to go in a few years. She loves camping and fishing, but is hot/cold on hunting.
This is another debate nobody wins. Just opinions.
But, it all comes down to the kids and how they are raised. I was younger than 10 when I took my first snowshoe, Partridge and deer. 42 now and still steaming forward from one hunting season to another. Maybe because I was so young that's what made me travel to different places for bigger game? And age don't really matter, again some kids are ready and some will never be. What's the difference between a 8yo, 10, 12, or 16yo? If they don't understand what is involved, the work, the patience, the emotions they never will, IF THEY ARE NOT TAUGHT. That's in the hands of the parents or the possible mentor/ adult around them. My kids and most of my friends kids are way ready by 10. And a couple of the wife's friends kids, not so much? They rather see little Timmy run around chasing a ball five nights a week, instead of shooting, scouting or planting food plots.
And the "everyone gets a trophy, we are all winners" thing, that was mentioned. I see it the other way. Why because someone didn't prepare their child to be ready to hunt at 10yo, that it's not fair mine is. And now he needs to wait three, four more years. All because some parent thinks, little Timmy can't handle it yet at ten. But magically, when he turns 12 he will understand everything and be ready? Huh?
And yes my son will be sitting over a plush field of clover. Got a couple really, really nice bucks on the cam. Know where they are bedding, know where they are going and what time. We have his rifle dialed in, 3 out of five in a 1" dot, 2 just touching in the black at 100yd. This is a sure thing. We are debating how we should take the pics with one of these monsters and how he should mount it.....Lol... yeah, right. It's hunting, not called killin. AND HE KNOWS THAT! This will be his third year. Knowing what bucks are around. First year watched a respectable buck walk away. (Not a safe shot). Second year, skunked. And now his third, still just pumped as the first year, up this morning, packing up, begging me to pick him up early from school. Just can't wait to go up. We will be putting are time in, see what happens? Good luck to all going out and be safe.
Case I agree. I just wish some parents would wake up and be honest with themselves. Some kids shouldn't be out there, others it's a no brainer. Most I know should still be in child seats and on the dogs lease.
Your point about parenting, I wish some parents (friends of mine) were as concerned about school and raising the kids with some manners as they are about getting them in a gun tower this weekend. They should be embarrassed.
I said it in a prior post, 10-11 year old girls are more mature and ready for the woods over most boys of that age.
As the mentor of a very excited 11 year old girl who will be sitting on daddy's food plot this weekend it comes down to parenting period!!!! I know some 8 year olds I would trust more than some 30 year olds still living in there parents basement!! I support legal hunting for any age for the sole reason that it should be up to the parent(mentor) to know when he or she is ready!! Michigan is 8 I believe!! I can only tell you the way me and my daughter bonded in that stand is something that neither of us will forget and we could care less if we shoot anything let alone someone's prized trail cam buck!! She was at deer camp when she was less than 2 weeks old and has been going ever since!! Times are just different and my biggest concerns are the lazy parents and the sports nuts!!! There are some crazy sports parents out there for sure!! I must just be in the minority because I was sitting in a ground blind with my dad for as long as I can remember!! Guess it depends on what type of deer camp you grew up in but ours was always about the hunt and not the harvest!! We're I have hunted my whole life nothing comes easy and the hunting is hard but that's what drives the passion!! There are a few once in a lifetimers shot every year but I see all types of different age class deer shot by the youngsters and nothing makes me smile more than the proud grin of a kid admiring a doe or a spiker and there little hearts are just throbbing!!! Different folks different strokes!!
JC - spot on.
Now for something i would support. Open bow hunting the weekend prior for youth only. Open rifle season the Friday prior to gun season for youth only. Those actually make sense somewhat. Still NOT in support of the 10 year old age. Kids are youth from 10-16 correct? What's wrong with giving a 12 to 16 year old a crack a day and week earlier. I just feel like a season within the season is just hurting everyone as a whole and 10 and 11 is too young.
Giving a kid a rifle within bow season is about the dumbest thing i've heard of. It's as asinine as the holiday hunts and tzones.
